Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: People are often referred to in a Human Resource Development context as the organisation‟s most important resource in recognition of the important knowledge and learning they bring to the organisation (Bierema & Eraut, 2004). South African organisations experience a shortage of this valuable and important resource due to the country‟s social political past which was led by the Apartheid system. South Africa today still suffers from the consequences of the history of racial discrimination which was lead by the Apartheid system. This system was one of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government of South Africa between 1948 and 1993 and it deprived the majority of South Africans of the opportunity to develop and accumulate human capital. South Africa‟s past has thus left the previously disadvantaged group members with underdeveloped competency potential, as opposed to the not previously disadvantaged group members, and this has subsequently led to adverse impact in valid, fair (in the Cleary sense of the term) strict-top-down selection. This underdeveloped competency potential prohibits these individuals from succeeding in the world of work. Because of the importance of labour it is crucial that the South African labour force be developed to reach its full potential. Adverse impact in personnel selection refers to the situation where a selection strategy affords members of a specific group a lower probability of being selected compared to members of another group (Boeyens, 1989). There thus lies a vast reservoir of untapped human potential in this country, and a method to identify these individuals is required. The fact that adverse impact is created during personnel selection does not necessarily mean that selection procedures are responsible for the adverse impact. Adopting a problem orientation involves using careful analysis to identify the root causes of a problem (Bierema & Eraut, 2004). In South Africa an intellectually honest solution to the problem of adverse impact would be to provide development opportunities, rather than searching for an alternative selection instrument, to those individuals who have been denied opportunities in the past in order to develop skills, abilities and coping strategies necessary for job performance. This does not imply that affirmative action should be abolished; it rather suggests that the focus of this corrective policy should shift towards a more developmental approach. More emphasis should be placed on providing the previously disadvantaged with the necessary training and development to foster the necessary competency potential to succeed in the world of work. Affirmative developmental opportunities will entail giving previously disadvantaged individuals access to skills development and educational opportunities aimed at equipping them with the currently deficit skills and knowledge. A need exists to identify individuals who will gain maximum benefit from these developmental opportunities and who display the highest potential to learn, as resources for such developmental programmes are scarce. Attempts at accelerated affirmative development will be effective to the extent to which there exists a comprehensive understanding of the factors underlying training performance and the manner in which they combine to determine learning performance (De Goede & Theron, 2010). De Goede (2007) has already conducted a study to identify such individuals. Selection alone, although important and necessary, is not sufficient to ensure successful affirmative development interventions. Additional interventions are required, post-selection, to ensure success. The primary objectives of this study are consequently to build onto De Goede‟s (2007) foundations and it is therefore necessary to describe De Goede‟s (2007) model, explain its underlying argument, report on the fit of his proposed structural model and also to report on the findings regarding the specific causal relationships which he proposed. De Goede‟s (2007) existing learning potential structural model was expanded with the inclusion of additional non-cognitive variables in order to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity underlying learning and the determinants of learning performance. The hypothesised learning potential structural model was empirically tested and evaluated and achieved good close fit. Modification indices calculated as part of the structural equation modelling suggested a specific addition to the existing model that would improve the fit. One modification was subsequently made to the model after the consideration of the full range of fit indices, standardised residuals, modification indices and parameter estimates. No paths were removed. This decision was taken because the path-specific hypotheses that were tested referred to the specific paths when they were included in the specific model. Deleting insignificant paths from the model would therefore change the original hypotheses. The final revised structural model achieved good fit. The limitations of the research methodology, the practical implications of this study, and recommendations for future research are also discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die konteks van Menslike Hulpbronontwikkeling word daar vele kere na mense verwys as die organisasie se belangrikste hulpbron uit erkenning vir die belangrike kennis en leer wat hulle na die organisasie bring (Bierema & Eraut, 2004). Suid-Afrikaanse organisasies ervaar „n tekort aan die waardevolle en belangrike hulpbron weens die land se verlede onder leiding van die Apartheidsisteem. Suid-Afrika ly vandag steeds onder die gevolge van die geskiedenis van rassediskriminasie onder leiding van die Apartheidstelsel. Hierdie stelsel is gebaseer op wetlike rasseskeiding, afgedwing deur die Nasionale Party regering in Suid-afrika tussen 1948 en 1993. Hierdie sisteem het die meeste Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid op toegang tot ontwikkelingsgeleenthede ontneem. Suid-Afrika se verlede het die lede van die voorheen benadeelde groepe gelaat met onderontwikkelde bevoegdheidspotensiaal, in teenstelling met lede van bevoorregte groepe. Dit het daartoe aanleiding gegee dat geldige en regverdige (in die Cleary sin van die begrip) streng bo-tot-onder keuring „n nadelige impak teen voorheen benadeelde individue tot gevolg het. Die onderontwikkelde bevoegdheidspotensiaal verhoed die voorheen benadeelde groepe om suksesvol in die werksplek te wees. Weens die belangrikheid van arbeid is dit noodsaaklik dat die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmag ontwikkel word om sy volle potensiaal te bereik. Nadelige impak in personeelkeuring verwys na die situasie waar „n keuringstrategie lede van „n spesifieke groep „n laer waarskynlikheid van keuring bied in vergelyking met lede van „n ander groep (Boeyens, 1989). Daar bestaan dus „n reuse onontginde reservoir van menslike potensiaal in hierdie land en „n metode om hierdie individue te identifiseer word benodig. Die feit dat „n nadelige impak geskep word tydens personeelkeuring beteken nie noodwendig dat die keuringsprosedures verantwoordelik is vir die nadelige impak nie. Die aanvaarding van „n probleemoriëntasie vereis die gebruik van „n versigtige analise om die grondoorsake van „n problem te identifiseer (Bierema & Eraut, 2004). In Suid-Afrika sal dit „n intellektueel eerlike oplossing ten opsigte van die probleem van nadelige impak bied om ontwikkelingsgeleenthede te voorsien aan daardie lede wat geleenthede misgun is in die verlede, om vaardighede, vermoëns en hanteringstrategieë wat benodig word vir werksprestasie te ontwikkel, eerder as om „n ander keuringsinstrument te soek. Daar word glad nie hiermee geïmpliseer dat regstellende aksie tot niet gemaak moet word nie. Daar word slegs voorgestel dat die fokus van regstellende aksie meer ontwikkelingsgerig moet wees. Groter klem moet dus daarop geplaas word om lede van voorheen benadeelde groepe die geleenthede te gee om die nodige bevoegdheidspotensiaal te ontwikkel om suksesvol in the werksplek te wees. Regstellende ontwikkelingsgeleenthede sal voorheen benadeelde individue toegang gee tot opleidings en ontwikkelingsgeleenthede wat daarop afgestem is om hulle van die nodige vaardighede en kennis te voorsien wat hulle kortkom. „n Behoefte bestaan om daardie indiwidue te identifieer wat die grootste voordeel uit hierdie ontwikkelingsgeleenthede sal trek en wat die hoogste vlak van leerpotensiaal het, aangesien hulpbronne vir die doel baie skaars is. Pogings tot versnelde regstellende ontwikkeling sal net suksesvol wees tot die mate wat daar „n omvattende begrip is van die faktore wat onderliggend is aan leerprestasie en die wyse waarop hulle kombineer om leerprestasie te bepaal (De Goede & Theron, 2010). De Goede (2007) het reeds so „n leerpotensiaalnavorsingstudie gedoen. Keuring alleen, alhoewel belangrik en noodsaaklik, is nie voldoende om suksesvolle regstellende ontwikkelingsingrypings te verseker nie. Verdere addisionele ingrypings word na keuring benodig om sukses te verseker. Die primêre doelstellings van hierdie studie is gevolglik om op De Goede (2007) se fondasies te bou. De Goede (2007) se model is beskryf, sy onderliggende argument is verduidelik, verslag is gedoen oor die pasgehalte van die voorgestelde strukturele model en ook oor sy bevindinge aangaande die spesifieke, oorsaaklike verwantskappe wat hy voorgestel het. De Goede (2007) se bestaande leerpotensiaal strukturele model is gewysig en uitgebrei deur die toevoeging van addisionele nie-kognitiewe veranderlikes om ‟n meer indringende begrip van die kompleksiteit onderliggend aan leer en die determinante van leerprestasie te verkry. Die strukturele model is empiries getoets en geëvalueer en die model het „n goeie passing getoon. Modifikasie-indekse bereken as deel van die strukturele vergelykingsmodellering het „n spesifieke baan uitgewys wat die passing van die model sou verbeter indien dit bygevoeg word tot die bestaande model. Die strukturele model is dus aangepas deur die addisionele baan by te voeg tot die bestaande model na die oorweging van die volle spektrum pasgehaltemaatstawwe, gestandaardiseerde residue, modifikasie-indekse and parameterskattings. Geen bane is verwyder nie. Die besluit is geneem omdat die baan-spesifieke hipoteses wat getoets is, verwys het na spesifieke bane toe hulle ingesluit is in die spesifieke model. Verwydering van bane wat nie statisties beduidend was nie, sou dus die oorspronklike hipoteses verander. Die bevinding was dat die finaal-gewysigde strukturele model die data goed gepas het. Die beperkinge van die navorsingsmetodiek, die praktiese implikasies van die studie en aanbevelinge vir toekomstige navorsing word ook bespreek.

This study was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of four self-designed, objective tests of cricket batting, bowling, fielding and general ability skills. The batting test requires the batsman to hit a suspended ball at a target area as many times as possible in 60 seconds. His score is doubled to give his score for the batting test. In the bowling test the bowler is required to bowl ten balls at target areas marked on the pitch. Each delivery is recorded to give him a score out of 100. The fielding test requires the fielder to catch and field seven balls in a predetermined sequence. Each fielded ball that is not thrown through the target area incurs a penalty of three seconds. The total time taken is used to obtain the fielding test score out of 100. In the general ability test the player is required to hit a ball up and down twenty-five times. He then has to run along a predetermined path and field three balls and then bowl three balls at a target. A penalty of three seconds is added onto the time taken for each ball that does not pass through the target area. The actual score, out of 100, is determined from the total time taken. To determine the validity of the objective tests of batting, bowling, fielding and general ability, 155 subjects were subjectively assessed in these four categories by experienced coaches. The four objective tests were then conducted on these subjects and the scores compared. Forty-four subjects were assessed by experienced and inexperienced testers to determine the reliability of the tests when administered by different testers. To determine the reliability of the tests when repeatedly administered by one tester 23 subjects were assessed on five consecutive days. Significant correlations (p < 0,05) were found for the tests of validity between subjective and objective assessment (0,43 to 0,81) and the test for objectivity between experienced and inexperienced testers (0,41 to 0,78). A significant improvement (p < 0,05) in scores occurred during repeated testing, but most of this improvement took place between the first two tests. The results indicate that the tests are valid and reliable tests of cricket batting, bowling, fielding and general ability, if sufficient pre-test practice is allowed.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the technical adequacy of two reading Curriculum—Based Measures (CBM5), to examine the relationships of the CBM5 to normreferenced tests, and to compare the strength of relationship of both kinds of measures to school—based indices of reading performance. The two CBMs (a word list sampled from several reading series and a passage reading test composed of ten Ginn 720 passages) were taken from the literature; comprehensive information about their technical adequacy had not been previously available. A review of the literature indicates that CBM, particularly reading CBM, is gaining increased attention in education because of claims regarding its utility in monitoring pupil progress, its ease of administration, and its relationship to local curricula as well as to learning gains. This study examined how reading CBMs and two subtests from the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1985) relate to each other and to three school—based indices of reading performance: a school district reading test, program placement status (learning disabled or regular education), and a teacher rating scale of reading skill. Grade four students from one metropolitan Vancouver school district served as subjects (n=105). Of these, 35 were classified as learning disabled and 70 were classified as regular education. Learning disabled status was determined by judgments of a school district screening committee and by examining previous psychoeducational assessments. Reliability indices calculated on the CBMs supported claims for technical adequacy. These estimates were as follows: internal consistency of the word list was .97, internal consistency of the reading passages was .98 and .94 for reading speed and accuracy, test—retest reliability of the reading passages was .89 and .79 for reading speed and accuracy, and inter—rater reliability of the reading passages was .99 and .96 for reading speed and accuracy. Results indicated that the CBMs used in this study have high reliabilities. CBM5, especially the speed score from the- reading passages, demonstrated strong relationships to the two norm—referenced subtests. The pattern of correlations between the measures differed between the learning disabled and normal sample; analyses of variance demonstrated that all measures used in the study discriminated between the learning disabled and the regular education groups. Stepwise multiple regression and canonical analysis indicated that the two norm—referenced subtests, the speed score from the Curriculum—Based Reading Passages, and the accuracy score from the Curriculum—Based Word List were most efficient in “predicting” the three school-based indices of reading performance. Evidence for concurrent validity of curriculum—based and norm—referenced measures was found in this study. When administration time, instructional utility, and technical properties are considered, results indicated that the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement Reading Decoding subtest and the Curriculum—Based Reading Passages speed score are the most efficient of the predictor measures investigated in identifying and programming for Year Four children with significant reading difficulty. Implications for further research and the potential of CBM to accommodate instructional and measurement needs is discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

Presently the Douglas College General Nursing Program screens its applicants with the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and the Stanford Diagnostic Math Test in the belief that those tests set appropiate standards for admission to the program. No research had been performed to validate this belief. This descriptive, exploratory study examined the available data to determine the influence of the screening tests on academic achievement. Since the literature documents the influence of demographic variables on academic achievement in nursing programs, the students' ages were also included in this study. The students' scores on the screening tests, and the students' ages, were correlated with their scores on six nursing academic scores in the first two semesters in the program. Canonical correlation analysis was performed on the same data to see if insight could be obtained about the interrelationships of the screening tests, the students ages, and academic achievement. The Pearson r correlations indicate that the influence of the screening tests was small to moderate on academic achievement in the individual courses, and that students' ages demonstrated the weakest correlation. Sub-test 3 of the Stanford Diagnostic Math test consistently correlated the highest with the academic course scores with only two exceptions, and in those cases it was the second highest correlate. The canonical correlation analysis demonstrates that there are two underlying linkages or dimensions between the two data sets. The first dimension demonstrates the dominance of the Stanford Diagnostic Math sub-tests in correlating with academic achievement. The second dimension is too weak to make assumptions about the relationship between the two data sets, but it does suggest that the students' ages influence academic achievement. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The investigation attempted to differentiate between a deaf population's retarded and non-retarded readers on selected performance tasks. Twenty-seven deaf subjects were divided into three groups for purposes of the investigation. The groups consisted of nine retarded readers with I.Q.s below 90 on the WISC Performance scale, nine retarded readers with I.Q.s above 90 on the WISC Performance scale, and nine non-retarded readers with I.Q.s above 90 on the WISC Performance scale. Subjects were administered the Bender-Gestalt Test, the Graham and Kendall Memory for Designs Test, and the Picture Completion, Picture Arrangement, Block Design, Object Assembly, and Coding sub-tests of the WISC. Statistical treatment of the data did not significantly differentiate between retarded and non-retarded readers. Consideration of the data revealed that the deaf subjects' mean performance levels on visual motor tasks were below the mean performance levels of hearing children. Also, the deaf subjects' performances on Block Designs and Object Assembly were generally superior to their performances on Coding. Coding performance levels of the deaf subjects were below mean performance levels of hearing children. Educational implications were drawn from these observations. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to provide a description of the physical performance of a group of slow learning children who participated in a perceptual-motor program and to observe the effects of special training in motor skills on the visual perception and motor capacity of each child. Eight subjects, ranging in age from six to nine years, were selected to participate in the study. Each subject was referred to the program because of a diagnosis of retarded perceptual-motor development. The subjects were given pre-training standardized tests in General Motor Capacity and Visual Perception. They then received approximately fifty minutes of daily instruction in motor skills for a total of sixty-five days. At the conclusion of the special training period, the subjects were once again tested in general motor capacity and visual perception. The scores on the initial and final tests in motor capacity and perceptual ability were compared and the differences were recorded. A case study was conducted on each subject in order to obtain as much information as possible on each individual participating in the program. Information was obtained from medical and school records, psychologist and teacher reports, and the detailed observations of the investigator. The results indicated that difficulties in differentiation, balance and coordination appeared to be characteristic of the child having inadequate perceptual-motor development. A comparison of pre- and post-training test results showed that an improvement in motor capacity and visual perception occurred in all the subjects. Marked improvements were also observed in the children's behavior and attitude. From the findings of this study it appears that a special motor training program is a major contributor to the overall rehabilitation of the perceptually-motor handicapped child. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

A confirmatory approach based on a multidimensional model (Douglas, Roussos, & Stout, 1996; Shealy & Stout, 1993; Stout & Roussos, 1995) was used to identify sources of differential item functioning (DIF) and differential bundle functioning (DBF) for boys and girls on the British Columbia Principles of Mathematics Exam for grade 12 (PME12). Data consisted of a total of 9404 examinees; 4335 girls and 5069 boys. There were 45 multiple choice items in the exam. Analyses were completed in two stages. In stage 1, patterns present in the gender DIF research in mathematics were identified. Stage 2 was the statistical confirmation of these patterns. Sources of gender DIF were confirmed for the content areas: polynomial, quadratic relations, logarithms and exponents. Items tapping higher cognitive levels dealing with patterns and relation, word problems, and items containing visuals were also confirmed as a source of DIF. Exploratory analyses indicated that computation items for which no equations are provided may be a source of DIF along with trigonometry items. This study contributes to an increased understanding of sources of gender DIF that may assist test developers to ensure that mathematics items measure the construct that they are intended to measure and that the test as a whole measures that which it purports to measure. The findings of this research provide an additional source of information about the differential performance of boys and girls that may be used to develop guidelines and test construction principles for reducing gender DIF in mathematics. This research also contributes to a greater understanding of gender differences in mathematics learning and achievement. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The time required to identify a common object depends on several factors, especially pre-existing knowledge and episodic representations newly established as a result of a prior study. My research examined how these factors contribute to identification of objects (both studied and non-studied) and to performance on explicit memory tests. The overall goal was to explore the link between memory and object perception. One series of experiments examined influences due to object orientation in the plane of the page. Subjects were shown color photos of objects, and memory was assessed either with an old/new recognition test or with a test that required them to identify objects that were slowly faded in on a computer monitor. The critical variables were the type of photo — each showing either an object with a predominant or cardinal orientation (e.g., helicopter) or a non-cardinal object (e.g., pencil), and the orientation at which the photos were displayed at study and at test (e.g., rotated 0°, 120°, or 240°). For non-studied targets, identification test performance showed a large effect due to display orientation, but only for cardinal objects. For studied targets, study-to-test changes in orientation influenced priming for both non-cardinal and cardinal objects, but orientation specific priming effects (larger priming when study and test orientations matched rather than mismatched) were much larger with cardinal than non-cardinal objects, especially, when their display orientation, at test was unusual (i.e., 120°, 240°). A second series of experiments examined influences due to object size (size of an object presented alone) and relative size (size of an object relative to another object). Size manipulations had a large effect on identification of non-studied objects but study-to- test changes in size had only a minimal effect on priming. In contrast, study1to-test changes in relative size influenced recognition decision speed which is an index of priming. The combined findings suggest that both semantic and episodic representations behave as if they coded orientation but only for cardinal objects. They also suggest that episodic representations code relative size but not size information. The findings are explained by the instance views of memory. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

"It is the purpose of this study to evaluate the results of the special battery of tests administered to freshmen and transfer students entering the Florida State University School of Music over a two year period, 1953 and 1954, together with the success of these students in Music Theory 101. It is the further purpose of this study to evaluate the predictive and/or placement value of this battery in terms of freshman theory course requirements. No attempt has been made to show the effects of motivation, instructors, or pre-college training upon grades. Neither is the predictive value of this battery of tests determined in regard to the success of a student in any subject other than Music Theory 101"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "August, 1955." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education." / Advisor: Robert L. Briggs, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 35-36).